Electric cooking element and range top



Oct. 21, 1952 TILLAPAUGH 2,615,117

ELECTRIC COOKING ELEMENT AND RANGE TOP Filed March 26, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 21, 1952 ELECTRIC COOKING ELEMENT AN RANGE TOP Harley Tillapaugh, Greenville, Mich., assignor to Gibson Refrigerator Company, Greenville, Mich., a, corporation of Michigan Application March 26, 1949, Serial No. 83,644

This invention relates to an electric cooking element and range top and is particularly useful in connection with electric resistance elements supported within a reflector pan of a rangetop.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure whereby the cooker element or resistance element is supported normally in horizontal position by means which protect the supporting structure against grease etc. while at the same time permitting the element to be swung to a position away from the reflector pan etc. A further object is to provide mounting means for an electric cooker element which brings about a raising of the element as it is rotated to a position laterally of the reflector pan in the range top. A still further object is to provide a range top and. burner pan structure with an electric resistance element supported over the pan, the supporting means permitting a raising and rotary movement of the element while at the same time, when the element is in lowered position eifectivelysealing the structure against drip etc. Other speciflc objects and advantages will. appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a single embodiment by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a broken top plan view of a portion of arange top, reflector pan, cooking element and support therefor embodying my invention; Fig. 2,

broken vertical section view; Fig. 3, a broken view similar to Fig, 2 but showing the cooking element swung laterally of the reflector pan; and Fig. 4, a perspective view of a portion of the supporting structure for the cooking or resistance element.

In the illustration given, I II designates a range top which may be formed from a single sheet of metal and which preferably has formed integrally therewith a reflector pan I I. The reflec-v tor pan may be provided with a ledge l2 for supporting the arms of a spider I3.

The side wall I4 of the pan lies at an upward inclination, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Extending through the inclined wall at one side is an opening I5 and surrounding the opening is a strip of metal forming a collar I6. yExtending through the opening I5 and the collar I6 is a tube I'I. Into the upper portion of the tube is sweated or welded a collar I8 and within the lower portion of the tube is a collar I9 slidably mounted within the tube but welded to a post member 20. If desired, post 20 and resistance element 29 may be integrally formed and the electric wires in cords 2| may be soldered 8 Claims. ((31.219-37) or otherwise secured to the Nichrome or electric resistance wires within the post 20. Preferably, the wires would be connected to the Nichrome wires within the post prior to filling the post with powdered porcelain. If desired, the Nichrome wires might be allowed to protrude from the post into a porcelain connector and to which the wires of cords 2! would be connected. In the preferred form as illustrated, the post 20 is a solid post consisting of an outer tubular element containing wires which lead to the resistance element in the'burner 29. These wires are enclosed by powdered porcelain or other material so as to form a solid post. The post, as stated .above, is preferably formed integral with the burner 29 which also is formed by a tubular sheath, preferably flattened on top and containing resistance elements or Nichrome wire which is embedded in powered porcelain or the like.

. A grease or drip cap 23 has a reduced ring portion 24 welded or otherwise secured to the post member 20 and has an enlarged cylindrical portion 25 greater than the outside diameter of the sleeve or tube IT. The lower edge 26 of the member 23 is shaped to conform with the upper surface of. collar l6 upon which it rests, being formed at an inclination, as shown more clearly in Fig.4.

A compression spring 21 extends between the collars-l8 and I9, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The tube or sleeve I1 is held in firm position within the reflector pan by the engagement of the member 23 against the collar I6, thus preventing downward movement of the sleeve I1 and being held againstupward movement by the snap button locks 28. The snap button locks 28 permit the tube or sleeve I! to be pressed downwardly through the opening it in the pan I I and then serve to lock it against normal upward movement. At the same time, the pressure of spring 21 draws the cap 23 firmly against. the collar I6 so as to hold the sleeve rigidly in the vertical position illustrated. It will be understood that any suitable means for rigidly securing the sleeve I! in position may be employed.

Fixed to the post or tube 20 at the top thereof is an electric cooker element 29 which may be of any suitable type and may, if desired, be integrally formed with the post. In the illustration given, the element 29 is of the sheath typeand consists of electric resistance elements embedded within a sheath structure of well-known concoil, as illustrated more clearly in'Flg. 1, the top In the operation of the structure, the element 29 normally rests in a. horizontal position within the pan H, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. In this position, the spring 21 urges the collar I! and thereby post 20 toward its lower position. When it is desired to remove the element 29 from the pan so as to permit a cleaning of the pan, the element 29 is swung laterally, as shown in Fig. 1, and the spider support [3 removed. In swinging the element 29 laterally, the inclined lower edge 26 of the grease cap 23 rides upon the collar I6 to the position shown in Fig. 3 so as to elevate the post 20 and the element 29 carried thereby. The rapid elevating of the post 20 enables the element 29 to clear the range top and the element is thus supported in a position away from the reflector pan H so that the pan can be readily cleaned.

When the element 29 is moved back to normal position, the spring 2! draws the post 20 to the position shown in Fig. 2 and in this position it will be observed that the grease cap 23 entirely encloses all of the supporting parts exposed within the pan i I. Thus the cap 23 serves to keep all of the supporting and elevating structure free of grease and drip material while the cooking element 29 is being used as a cooking element.

The precise elevating structure shown is set out as merely one means for accomplishing the ready lifting of the element 29. It will be understood that equivalent structures may be employed for this purpose.

While in the foregoing specification I have set forth a single structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of my invention, such details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In an electric range top having a burner opening and a downwardly and inwardly inclined wall therein, a resistance element in said opening, a sleeve supported in said inclined wall, a post fixed to said resistance element and adapted to slide within said sleeve, and a cap guard fixed to and enclosing said post and having an inclined lower edge engageable with said inclined wall to elevate said post when said element is rotated in one direction and to lower said post when said element is rotated in the other direction, said inclined edge of the guard and the burner wall normally resisting return of said post when said resistance element is swung away from said opening.

2. In an electric range top having a burner opening and a downwardly and inwardly inclined wall therein, a resistance element in said opening a sleeve supported in said inclined wall, a post fixed to said resistance element and adapted to slide within said sleeve, a cap guard fixed to and enclosing said post and having an inclined lower edge engageable with said inclined wall to elevate said post when said element is rotated in one direction and to lower said post when said element is rotated about said post in the other direction, and spring means normally urging said post toward lowered position, said inclined edges of the guard and burner wall normally resisting return of said post when said resistance element is swung away from said opening.

3. In an electric range top having a reflector pan provided with a downwardly and inwardly inclined side wall, a sleeve extending through said inclined side wall and fixed thereto, a pivot post slideably mounted in said sleeve, 9. resistance element fixed to the top of said post, and a guard cap fixed to said post and having its lower edge inclined for engagement throughout with said inclined side wall whereby upon rotation of said post, said guard cap elevates said post and the resistance element carried thereby, said inclined edge of the guard and said burner wall normally resisting return of said post when said resistance element is swung away from said refiector pan.

4. In an electric range top having a reflector pan with a downwardly and inwardly inclined side wall, a sleeve extending through said inclined side wall, a collar fixed to said side wall and extending snugly about said sleeve, a post slideably mounted in said sleeve, a resistance element supported by said post, and a guard cap fixed to said post and having a lower inclined edge abutting said collar when the post is in lowered position but engaging only a portion of said collar when said post is rotated to elevate said resistance element, said inclined edge of the guard and said collar normally resisting return of said post when said resistance element is swung away from said reflector pan.

5. In an electric range top having a reflector pan with a downwardly and inwardly inclined side wall, a sleeve extending through said side wall, a collar enclosing said sleeve and fixed to said side wall, a post slideably mounted in said sleeve, said sleeve being provided near its top with a stop and said post being provided near its bottom with a stop, a compression spring enclosing said post and engaging said stops whereby said post is normally urged toward lowered position, a resistance cooking element carried by said post, and a grease cap fixed to said post and having its lower edge inclined for engagement throughout with said collar when said cap is in lowered position but engaging only a portion of said collar when said post is rotated to elevate said resistance element.

6. In combination with an inclined wall of a reflector pan of a range, said inclined wall having a vertical opening therethrough, a sleeve extending through said opening and supported therein in substantially vertical position, a post slideably mounted in said sleeve, a resistance element eccentrically carried by said post, spring means associated with said sleeve and post for normally urging said post toward lowered position, and a grease cap having a skirt terminating in an inclined lower edge normally engaging said wall throughout to provide a shield therefor when the post is in lowered position, said inclined edge eifecting a raising of said post when said element is rotated away from said inclined wall.

7. In an electric range top having a burner recess and a downwardly and inwardly inclined wall therein, a resistance element in said opening, a post rotatably supported in an opening in said recess wall, a, resistance element burner formed integrally with said post, and a cap guard fixed to and enclosing said post and having an inclined lower edge engageable with said inclined wall to elevate said post when said element is rotated in one direction and to lower said post when said element is rotated in the other direction, said inclined edge of the guard and said burner wall normally resisting return of said post when said resistance element is swung away from said opening.

8. In an electric range top having a burner opening and a downwardly-inclined side wall therein, a resistance element in said opening, a sleeve supported in said inclined wall, a support in said sleeve and secured to said resistance element, and a cam on said support engageable with said inclined wall to elevate said support when said resistance element is rotated in one direction and to lower said support when the element is rotated in the other direction, the inclination of the cam being such as to normally resist return of said support when said resistance element is swung away from said opening.

HARLEY TILLAPAUGH.

6 REFERENCES omen The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

